


Dentist

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Flufftober [21]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sick Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:02:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27133582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Flufftober day 21: Sick partner
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Flufftober [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947490
Comments: 2
Kudos: 56





	Dentist

“Hi… I uh I’d like to make an appointment please.” Aaron forced himself to say when the all too cheery receptionist answered the phone. “I uh… I have a toothache.”

“Alright, are you registered with us already or are you a new patient?”

“Oh uh… I’m not sure. It’s been a while since I’ve been…”

“That’s alright. What’s your name? I’ll check the computer.”

“It’s Aaron uh… Dingle I think…” Aaron told her and heard her tapping away on the keyboard.

“I’m sorry, I don’t see an Aaron Dingle on the list. Could you be listed under a different name?”

“Uhm… Livesy… L-I-V-E-S-Y.”

“Aaron Livesy, Albert road, York? Born January 5th 1992?”

“Uh yeah that’s me… but I don’t live there anymore. And I got married… I changed my name.”

“Well let me just book you in under this name and we can change it when you come in. How is Monday at 2pm?”

“Yeah that’s fine.”

“Alright, Monday 2pm it is. If you can’t make it, please cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment.”

“Ok. I’ll remember that.”

“Great. You’re all set. We’ll see you Monday then. Take care, bye!” the receptionist said like she’d just set up an exciting date and hung up.

“And?” Robert asked. “Could they fit you in?”

“Yeah… Monday.”

“What? That long? Aaron it’s Wednesday. Didn’t they have anything sooner?”

“I don’t know… I didn’t ask. Monday is fine. I’ll just get some aspirin from David and I’ll be alright.”

“Aaron you’re in pain.”

“Yes, Robert, I’ve noticed. But there’s nothing I can do about that now other than wait for Monday, is there?” Aaron snapped and got up to grab his jacket. “I’m going to David’s. Do we need anything?”

“We’re out of porridge…” Robert sighed “For Seb!” He added when he saw the look on his husband’s face. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to suggest you eat soft foods because your mouth hurts.”

“I’m fine.” Aaron said again and grabbed his keys and left, almost slamming right into Liv when he stepped out the door. “Seriously? You never remember your key and now you do?!”

“Are you really having a go at me now for not forgetting my key?”

Aaron rolled his eyes and pushed past her with an annoyed “forget it.” thrown over his shoulder.

“What’s up with him?” she asked Robert as she walked into the flat. “Have you two fallen out again or something?”

“No. We’re fine. He’s just in a mood because he has a toothache. I’ve been telling him to call the dentist for weeks but he only just did. And they can’t fit him in until Monday.”

“Monday? We have to deal with him being like that until Monday?”

“He’s gone to get painkillers from David… hopefully those take the edge off.”

Fortunately they did but Aaron’s mood still left a lot to be desired over the next few days.

He bit Vinny’s head off at the scrapyard and sacked him twice, hung up on a client, and basically lived on cups of tea and instant soup.

The only thing, or rather, person, who could put a smile on his face was Seb.

The little boy was confused and a little upset to see his dad snapping at everyone, which in turn made Aaron feel bad and determined to make him smile again.

That’s how they made it to Sunday afternoon without Aaron killing anyone, or Robert smothering him with his pillow.

He was lying on the floor, playing with Seb and his dinosaurs, while Robert and Liv watched from a safe distance, both pretending to be working at the kitchen table.

“I should feel bad for using my son as a buffer against my own husband, shouldn’t I?” Robert asked Liv who just shrugged.

“If it keeps both of them happy and stops him from yelling at everyone… who cares?”

Later that day, after Aaron had given Seb a bath and both him and Robert had tucked him in and kissed him goodnight, and Liv had gone out to meet up with Gabby, they were sitting on the sofa, watching some Netflix film that wasn’t worth the hype.

Aaron grabbed the remote and paused the film.

“I’m… sorry for being such a prat the past few days.” He said, staring at the screen instead of looking at Robert.

“I get it… Being in pain doesn’t really do wonders for your mood.”

“No… but that’s not all…”

“What’s wrong?”

“I uh… I really hate dentists. I haven’t been in years. Haven’t needed to… until now.”

“Well... nobody likes going to the dentist.”

“I know… but… I’m… slightly terrified.” Aaron admitted. “The thought of having to get in that chair and have him poke around in my mouth… it freaks me out and I hate that even more than the pain now.” He plucked at a loose thread on his trackies. “Do you have anything on tomorrow afternoon?”

“Would you like me to come along?”

“Do you mind? I know it’s stupid and I’m not a kid anymore but…”

“No, it’s ok. If you want me to come along for moral support, I’ll come along.” Robert promised. “Now put my film back on. I was watching that.”

Aaron chuckled and hit play, thankful Robert didn’t make a big deal out of things.

The rest of the night and the next morning went by in the blink of an eye and before they knew it, it was time to drop Seb off at the farm with Moira, and head to the dentist.

“I’ll drive.” Aaron said when Robert wanted to get into the car on the driver’s side after they left the farm. “Please?” He held out his hand and Robert reluctantly handed over the keys.

“Are you sure you should be driving?”

“I need something to take my mind off things. I can’t just sit here and wait until you drop me off.”

“Ok… fine.”

Aaron drove them to the dentist office and Robert could tell he was panicking inside by the way he stuck to the speed limit and all other traffic laws probably for the first time since passing his test.

He parked the car in front of the surgery, turned the engine off, but didn’t move.

“Come on, you’re going to miss your appointment if you don’t get out of the car.”

“Right now I’m thinking that’s not such a bad idea.”

Robert got out of the car, walked around to the other side, opened Aaron’s door and held out his hand for him to take.

“I’m with you. Every step of the way.” He promised and waited for Aaron to drag himself out of the car.

They walked into the surgery and up to the receptionist’s desk.

“Hi… I have an appointment at 2.”

The receptionist checked the computer and gave him a smile.

“Aaron Livesy. There you are. Take a seat, the doctor will come get you when she’s ready for you.

“It’s uh Sugden-Dingle now. I got married.” Aaron explained, happy to focus on anything but his treatment. “I rang the other day to book an appointment and they said to mention it again when I came in so they could change it.”

“Sure thing.” She hit a few keys on the computer. “Do you have any ID on you?”

“Yeah… but my married name isn’t on that yet…”

“No problem. I just need to make sure you’re actually you.” She gave him a smile and quickly checked the ID card Aaron handed her. “Thank you very much. Now. Sugden-Dingle? Hyphenated?”

“That’s right.” Aaron told her, going through the motions of updating his details until suddenly a door opened and a woman of about his mum’s age walked out into the waiting room.

“Aaron Livesy?”

“It’s Sugden-Dingle. I just updated the file.” The receptionist told her.

“Oh, right. Well Aaron Sugden-Dingle, you’re up next.”

Robert felt Aaron stiffen next to him and gave his hand a little squeeze.

“Uh yeah that’s me.” He looked at Robert and then back to the dentist again. “Uhm… can… can my husband come in with me?”

The dentist gave him an understanding smile.

“I’m sorry… there’s not enough room for him to sit with you and me to work. I promise I’ll be gentle with you.”

“Right…”

“I’ll be right here.” Robert promised and kissed him. “You can do this.”

Aaron nodded and followed the dentist into her office.

Robert settled down in the waiting room and tried to focus on some old magazine that was lying around. Only after a few minutes he could hear the sound of the drill through the door and it made his own teeth hurt.

He hoped Aaron was alright and wished he could have gone in with him to hold his hand.

“Don’t you just hate that sound?” an older man who was sitting a few seats away from Robert asked him. “I don’t understand how someone can do this for a living.”

“Yeah me neither.” Robert agreed. “But thankfully not everyone agrees and we have someone we can go to, to get our teeth fixed.”

“Good point.” The man said laughingly. “Do you reckon your husband is alright in there?”

“I hope so…” Robert looked at the door. “I don’t hear anyone screaming just yet so…”

The man laughed again.

“Next time, insist on going in with him. They’ll make room for you. I always used to do it with my kids and they always found a way.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”

The door opened and Aaron shuffled back into the waiting room a little while later. He looked pale and tired but otherwise mostly in one piece.

“Alright?” Robert asked him.

“Back next week.” He mumbled, moving his mouth as little as possible and handed Robert a note with his new appointment written on it.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“Not yet…”

Robert gave him a sympathetic smile and leaned in to kiss him but Aaron stopped him with a hand to his chest and a shake of his head.

“Oh… right… yeah… best not to kiss you on the mouth right now.” Robert said and wrapped an arm around Aaron’s waist instead and pressed a kiss to his temple “Come on, let’s go home. I’ll stop by David’s for some yoghurt and soup on the way back.”


End file.
